A Message from Mr. Fredrickson Dear Families,
I hope this letter is finding you well. I'm thankful that we have a forecast of dry weather for our exchange of student materials today.
It has certainly been a busy week at Birchview!
Staff came back to the building to get rooms ready for the summer and pack up student materials for drop-off/pick-up this afternoon.
Parents came (and at the writing of this letter are still coming) to return items and pick up items.
We also had a couple members of the PTA come in at the last minute to put yearbooks into student bags. If you can believe it, yearbooks were delivered to Birchview yesterday at 2:00 and by 6:00 they were all organized and ready for today. Thank you to Jill Hesse and Jennifer Robbenolt for their commitment and efficiency in making sure everyone who ordered a yearbook has one in their bag for pick up today.
If for some reason you could not do drop off/pick up of materials today, please reach out to me directly so we can make other arrangements.
The Birchview staff also was busy this week creating a video for our community. We want our students and families to know we miss you so much and we think the world of you. Thank you to all the staff who participated in this and a special thank you to Ms. Mondoux for the idea and creation of the video. Enjoy! As always, please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.
Warmly,
Mr. Fredrickson
Supporting Our Community
Did You Know? Grading and Report Cards Distance Learning has changed the learning environment, and–in response–our report cards will change, too. This spring, elementary report cards will be marked only in the following areas of focus: reading, writing and math. Student learning is enhanced through student engagement and personalized feedback. While there may not be official grades in some content areas or in personal management skills, teachers have provided and will continue to create engaging activities and provide this personalized feedback to students. Thank you for your continued support in having your child engage in their learning activities as we wrap up the 2019-2020 school year. Your partnership is greatly appreciated.
Reminders Emergency Contact Information It is very important that we have accurate emergency contact information for each parent/guardian. Please take a moment to verify and update your family information in Skyward Family Access.
Birthday Book Program Our popular birthday book program will be back this year. This program helps grow our library collection while formally commemorating a special day in the lives of our students.
PTA News
Around the District Distance Learning End-of-Year Parent Survey We want to hear your voice regarding how well we delivered on our goal of providing high-quality, inviting, and accessible instruction for all students during Distance Learning this spring. Your honest feedback will help us improve our Distance Learning practices in the future. All parents and guardians received an email from K12 Insight, our survey partner, the week of May 25. The survey is anonymous and no one from the District will know if you participate or how you answered the questions. The final survey results will show the overall findings and themes. This survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete and will be open until June 10. If you have more than one student enrolled in the Wayzata Public Schools, you can click on the link at the end of the survey to take the survey again. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Mindful Kids: Managing Stress During Hard Times Being stuck at home and away from school and friends is difficult for many kids and teens. Relate Counseling Center is offering online Mindfulness and Stress Reduction groups to help kids ages 7-11 manage emotions during COVID-19. Groups will incorporate discussion around feelings about the current pandemic, as well as provide tangible tools to help manage stress and anxiety. Kids will also engage in movement and relaxation strategies. The cost is $10 per week and meets Tuesdays from 1:00-1:30 p.m. Contact Kelly Smith, LGSW at knsmith@relatemn.org for more information. Wayzata Education Fund’s Thank a Teacher Program We have the best teachers and staff around, and never has it been clearer than during these unprecedented times. Whether they’ve helped make a difference in person or virtually this year, show your appreciation by participating in our Thank a Teacher program. From May 4 to June 3, any donation you make to the Wayzata Education Fund honoring a teacher or staff will come with a certificate of appreciation from your student. Additionally, if you donate $25 or more, they will also receive a bundlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes Minnetonka. Say thank you and support a good cause at the same time! Certificates will be sent via email. Bundlets will be delivered at a later date when it is deemed safe to do so, and when teachers and staff are back on school property. What can I do to protect myself and others?
We've had so many great Ask Ali questions in our inbox – thanks to all who have submitted! Ali, along with her network of local experts, has been working hard to answer these questions. Responses are posted every Monday on her blog at partnersinpreventionmn.org/askali. Parents, you've got to check out the responses to these questions! There are some interesting ones that have been asked; chances are you might be wondering some of these things.
Community Ed New Online Classes We welcome you to our online classrooms! Our online classes ensure that you are able to gain valuable information, stay on track with your fitness routine, learn new skills, and connect with others during the next month. Our buildings may be closed, but lifelong learning never stops. We are offering a variety of online classes for adult and youth. You can find all the online options on our registration site. Financial assistance is available or call 763-745-5200 for more information. Stay Creative While You Stay At Home! In these days of social distancing and stay-at-home guidance, it’s more important than ever to connect with friends and family members and to continue expressing your creativity. Destination Imagination’s Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament (GF20) is a one-of-a-kind collaborative problem-solving experience that takes place online and is open to all students and families (yes, you read that right!) who enjoy being creative, collaborative, and solving fun challenges that require out-of-the-box thinking. You do not need to have been on a Destination Imagination (DI) team for the 2019-20 DI season in order to participate. GF20 is a whole new experience and is open to everyone! For Global Finals 2020, you will work with your DI teammates, friends, or family members online to participate in several different Challenge Experiences. The cost to participate in the Global Finals 2020 Virtual Tournament is $199. Your team may participate in as many or as few of these Challenge Experiences as you choose. GF20 teams will compete for a number of awesome awards and prizes! We’re excited to welcome everyone to the Summer of Creativity and hope you’ll join us for this historic, one-time-only event! Learn more on the Global Finals website.
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